Vasily Zaytsev
'Vasily Grigoryevich Zaytsev '(Mar. 23, 1915 - Dec. 15, 1991), was a Soviet sniper during World War Two, notable particularly for his activities between Nov. 10 and Dec. 17, 1942, during the Battle of Stalingrad. He killed 225 soldiers and officers of the Wehrmacht and other Axis armies, including 11 enemy snipers. Prior to Nov. 10, he had already killed 32 Axis soldiers with the standard-issue Mosin Nagant rifle. Between Oct. 1942 and Jan. 1943, Zaytsev made an estimated 400 kills. __FORCETOC__ Early life Zaytsev was born in Yeleninskoye and grew up in the Ural Mountains, where he learned marksmanship by hunting deer and wolf with his grandfather and younger brother. War career Zaytsev served in the Soviet Navy as a clerk in Vladivostok. When Germany invaded the Soviet Union, Zaytsev, like many of his comrades, volunteered to be transferred to the front line. At the time, he had already reached the rank of Sergeant Major. World War II On Sept 22, 1942, Zaytsev crossed the Volga River and joined the 1047th Rifle Regiment of the 284th Rifle Division of the 62nd Rifle Army, headed by General Nikolai Batyuk. One day, Zaytsev's commanding officer called him up and pointed at an enemy soldier in a window 800 meters away. Zaytsev took aim with his standard-issue Mosin Nagant rifle, and with one shot, the soldier was down. In less than a few moments, two other German soldiers appeared at the window, checking their fallen officer. Vasily fired two more shots, and they were killed. For this, together with the Medal of Courage, Zaytsev was also awarded a sniper rifle. His skill as a sniper allowed him to establish and run a snipers' training school in the Metiz factory. Zaytsev-trained apprentices were nicknamed ''zaichata, ''meaning "leverets" (baby hares). During Zaytsev's career as a sniper, he would hide in all sorts of locations - on high ground, under rubble, in water pipes. After a few kills, he would change his position. Together with his partner Nikolay Kulikov, Zaytsev would hide and sting. One of Zaytsev's common tactics was to cover one large area from three positions with two men at each point - a sniper and a scout. This tactic, known as the "sixes", is still in use today and was implemented during the war in Chechnya. Zaytsev took part in the battle for Stalingrad until Jan. 1943, when he suffered an injury to his eyes from a mortar attack. He was attended to by Professor Filatov, who is credited with restoring his sight. On Feb. 22, 1943, Zaytsev was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. He then returned to the front and finished the war in Seelow Heights in Germany with the military rank of Captain. After the war, Zaytsev settled in Kiev, where he studied at a textile university before he obtained employment as an engineer. He rose to become director of a textile factory in Kiev, and remained in the city until he died in 1991, at the age of 76, just 10 days before the final dissolution of the Soviet Union. He was initially buried in Kiev despite his final request to be buried at Stalingrad. Commemoration On Jan 31, 2006, Vasily Zaytsev was reburied on Mamayev Kurgan in Stalingrad (now Volgograd) with full military honors. Zaytsev's dying wish was to be buried at the monument to the defenders of Stalingrad. His coffin was carried next to a monument where his famous quote is written: "For us there was no land beyond (the) Volga". Colonel Donald Paquette of the US Sniper School was present and laid a wreath as a sign of respect to a legendary sniper. ''US Army News ''quoted Colonel Paquette: "Vasily Zaytsev is a legend and every USA sniper must memorize his tactics and methods. He is a legend to the sniper community. May he rest in peace." Category:Soviet Military Category:Personality of the Soviet Union Category:USSR Category:Soviet Army